The Austrian Foreign Ministry for European and International Affairs today announced the selection of the Monterey Institute’s James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) as its partner institution in the establishment of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation. The new center will serve as an international hub for discussions among representatives of civil society, national governments, and international organizations regarding nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament issues.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry selected CNS from a large number of candidates to manage and operate the new center “because of its distinguished record of leadership in the field and its shared vision” for the new center. A key point of emphasis for the new center will be opportunities to educate the public – and especially young people – regarding the many aspects of nonproliferation and disarmament.

“The opening of the Vienna Center – along with the introduction of the Institute’s master’s degree in nonproliferation and terrorism studies – reflects our deep and longstanding commitment to playing a leadership role in training the next generation of nonproliferation specialists,” says Monterey Institute President Sunder Ramaswamy.

CNS Director William Potter welcomed the opportunity to partner with the Austrian Foreign Ministry expressing his confidence that the new center “will soon be regarded as the place to turn to in Europe for cutting edge research and training on nuclear arms control issues.”